“I believe everybody has
a desire to add value to
the people and community
around them.”
David Campbell – Acorn Donor

BUILDING A
STRONGER
COMMUNITY
We all benefit if we live in a strong, caring
community. The Acorn Foundation is
the Western Bay of Plentyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community
foundation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and our focus is to build a
strong, healthy and vibrant community,
that we all feel proud to be a part of.
Our approach is unique. We connect
generous, caring people with causes that
matter in our local region, and we are
building a permanent endowment fund that
will cater to the current and future needs of
our region.
We invite you to join us.

THE
OPPORTUNITY

Community Foundations are the fastest growing form of
philanthropy worldwide, because people like to “give where they
live”. Acorn pools and invests donors’ funds and we partner with
our donors to support those organisations and causes nearest to
their hearts to ensure that support can continue forever. It’s about
making a difference. It’s about making your mark.

“I want to see other people benefiting from
what my husband and I have worked and
saved for. This gives me a real sense of joy.”
Elva Shepherd – Acorn Donor

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank you for your generous grant to support our work in
helping people affected by crime and sudden trauma. The
communities in the Tauranga area will be stronger for your
support of the work we do.â&#x20AC;?
Victim Support, Tauranga

5
8
ACORN SUPPORTS
THE WESTERN BAY OF
PLENTY COMMUNITY
IN KEY WAYS
• Annual distributions from endowment funds - in accordance with
each donor’s wishes.
• Bringing donors to the table as community builders - matching their
interests with current causes that matter in the region.
• Donated funds remain intact - the giving continues forever.

WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE
MAKING A
DIFFERENCE

“The Acorn Foundation is a standout for its local focus on the
special needs of our community, identifying individuals and
truly worthwhile organisations, that may deserve but otherwise
never receive support. We've already seen some of the results
of its work. Acorn will make this region a better place.”
Murray & Gay Read-Smith – Acorn Donors

HOW MUCH
IS ENOUGH?
Generosity is not measured by how much you
give. In fact, you don’t have to be wealthy to
make a difference. Creating a compassionate,
caring community just needs thoughtful
committed people – like you. Acorn aims to
make the process as easy and rewarding as
possible so that everyone can contribute in
a way that works best for them, whether that
be giving in your lifetime, or in your Will, or
both.

“Never doubt that a
small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can
change the world; indeed, it’s
the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

MEETING OUR
COMMUNITY’S
GREATEST
NEEDS
At the Acorn Foundation we are acutely
aware of the responsibility entrusted to us
by our donors to ensure that our grants are
addressing key issues in this community.
In 2015 and again in 2017 we partnered
with some of this region’s stakeholders to
commission the Vital Signs® research project
for the Western Bay of Plenty.
Vital Signs is a community “health check” that
measures the social, economic, environmental
and cultural well-being of our region, and
finds out what matters most to the people who
live here.

9

invested for the

region’s future
thanks to
generous donors

2017 DISTRIBUTIONS BY
VITAL SIGNSÂ® CATEGORIES
2%

2%
6%

15%
20%
9%
2%
7%

14%
22%

Animal Welfare

Health

Arts & Culture

Learning

Belonging & Engagement

Reducing Inequality

Environment

Safety

Getting Started

Other

A donor’s story

PHIL
CARMICHAEL
A FAMILY LEGACY
With five children and nine
grandchildren and a family
linkage to Bethlehem,
Tauranga that reaches
back over 100 years
Phil Carmichael needs
little persuasion of the
need to support the local
community. But he always
wanted to make sure his
support was effective and
well placed.

“I first heard of Acorn Foundation
from my solicitor, some years ago.
In fact he mentioned it whenever
I updated my will. For a while, I
resisted any commitment. Then
Acorn Foundation really started to
pick up some momentum. He got
pretty enthusiastic and so did I.

It means I can make a real
difference to local charities
and organisations.
When you think about the fact Acorn
Foundation invest the funds and only
give away a portion each year you
understand the huge value of this
community foundation. It means
your legacy goes on forever. I like
that, as over time it will become
quite a major amount of money for

those community organisations that
need support. Every organisation is
constantly trying to fundraise, yet if
everyone gave a small percentage
of their worth when they died,
or as a living gift, the community
would be so much better off. Those
organisations can then focus on their
core work without having to spend so
much time on fundraising.
If I look at my own situation, I think
it’s nice to do some giving while I
am alive. It means I can see some
of the results. So instead of putting
Acorn Foundation into my will I
am contributing some funds on
an annual basis so that my legacy
builds in its own right. Once it gets
to a considerable size we will start
to see some substantial community
contributions.

“If I look at my own situation I think it’s
nice to do some giving while I’m alive.
It means I can see some of the results.”

It just makes good economic
sense.
Acorn has professional financial
advisors who invest the funds and get
a better return. So your money will
be there, increasing in value every
year. It also makes sense for me to do
this while I am still earning – it helps
Acorn to grow faster and means I can
give more.
I sort of think it would be great if I
had a legacy big enough to make
a real difference to the community
groups and causes that I want to
support and I believe I can do that
with Acorn Foundation.
I would like to think my funds
will be able to support some core

community causes for some of their
major equipment and supplies, then
they can still fundraise for the smaller
things.
When I am gone my children will
be able to be involved. It sets a
good example for them now and
they may be encouraged to do the
same. By telling my story, I hope
it helps the whole system to grow
and create more awareness of what
Acorn Foundation is doing for our
community.
Acorn Foundation certainly is a smart
idea!

YOU CAN
TRANSFORM
LIVES

WHAT DO
YOU WANT
FOR YOUR
COMMUNITY?
Join our growing list of generous donors
who are transforming lives by supporting our
community through the Acorn Foundation.

“St John sincerely thanks the Acorn Foundation and the donors
who have made provision for ongoing financial support to the local
WBOP St John teams. This year’s money went towards updating our
cardiac monitor/defibrillators and ensuring each ambulance has two
handheld radios, one for each crew member, for staff safety.”
St John WBOP

Acknowledging our Acorn Donors. Will you join us?

Connecting generous people who care,
with causes that matter - Forever